Jonathan Pershing has stepped down from his role as Environment Program Director for the Hewlett Foundation to join the Biden administration working with Special Envoy for Climate Change John Kerry. Hewlett Foundation President Larry Kramer shared the following about Pershing’s departure:
Secretary Kerry’s role is a new one, and a reminder that President Biden intends to return the United States to a leadership role on climate issues after four lost years. It’s a daunting challenge, but one that Jonathan is supremely qualified to help take on. So while we are very sorry to see him go, we fully support his decision to return to government at this inflection point for our country and for addressing the world’s climate crisis.
Over the last four years, Jonathan has led our Environment Program with vision and purpose. He brought his skills as a diplomat to bear on knitting together a diverse group of foundation partners whose support for climate issues is now better coordinated and more effective than ever, while pushing Hewlett’s own work in new directions on issues like climate finance, carbon dioxide removal, wildfires, and much more. He’s done all this while stewarding the foundation’s decades-long commitment to environmental causes with a deep understanding of the values that animate that work, including our increased attentiveness to matters of diversity, equity and inclusion.